Unwinding attachment for spools and bobbins



(No Model.)

' O. E. WILKINSON.

UNWINDING ATTACHMENT FOR SPOOLS AND BOBBINS. 110. 307,890. Patented Nov. 11,1884.

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Fries-O ATET CHARLES E. TVILKINSON, OF MATTEAWAN, NET/V YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE TVILLIMANTIC LINEN COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

UNWINDING ATTACHMENT FOR SPOOLS AND BOBBINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,890, dated November 11, 1884.

Application filed February 15, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. WILKIN- soN, of Matteawan, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Unwinding Attachment for Spools and Bobbins, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is applicable generally to sewing-machines and other machines in which thread is unwound from a fixed spool or bobbin; but the invention is more particularly intended for large sewing-machines used in factories, which take their thread from large spools or bobbins, which often hold as much asa pound of thread, and which are not turned tounwind. In taking thread from these spools or bobbins the thread slackens, and is liable to twist or kink when the draft on it ceases, and there are frequently imperfections in the thread, on which the thread catches in unwinding, and which often cause the thread to break.

My invention relates to that class of unwinding attachments which consist of a cap or head to be applied or fixed temporarily to the end or head of the spool, and a drag-flier which comprises a hub or eye, wherebyi t is pivoted concentrically to the said cap or head, and an eye at the other end, through which the thread is passed.

My invention consists in the combination, with a fixed spindle for a spool and a cap. adapted to be placed on the spool, having a plane upper surface covered with leather, cloth, or other material, so as to constitute a friction-surface, of a drag-flier having a hub or eye, whereby it is pivoted concentrically with said cap, and an eye through which the thread is to be conducted, and having a bearing upon the plane friction-surface of the said cap.

The invention also consists in novel features in the construction of the friction-cap and in the construction of the flier, whereby the latter is afforded a Very broad and stable bearing as it rotates on the friction-surface of the cap, and whereby the thread, which, whenslackened, is liable to kink or catch upon the flier, is prevented from being caught, and is certainly thrown off or caused to slip off the flier as soon as unwinding again commences. These features of my invention are particularly hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

The invention also consists in the combination, with the fixed spindle, friction-cap, and drag flier, combined as above described, of a guideeye above the same, and an elastic or yielding support which will allow said guide eye to give downward whenever the unwind- 6o ing portion of the thread catches, and will prevent breaking of the thread. i

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of a spool or bobbin with my unwinding attachment applied. Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof. Fig. 8 is a plan there of, and Fig. 4 illustrates a modification of my invention.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates the spool-support, which may be the arm of asewing-machine; and B designates a fixed spindle or arbor projecting upward therefrom, and on which the spool or bobbin C is fixed. Above the spindle B is a 7 5 thread-guide, consisting of an eye, a, formed upon the end of an elastic wire arm, D, which provides for the yielding of the guide-eye downward when the thread I) in unwinding catches on any imperfections in the thread on the spool or bobbin. This provision for yielding in the thread-guide greatlylessens the liability of the thread breaking, and forms a very useful combination with the drag-flier, hereinafter described.

E designates a cap which is slipped over the spindle or arbor l3 and rests upon the top of the spool or bobbin C. This cap has its edge projecting outward beyond the head of the spool or bobbin and turned down so as to form 0 a smooth circular rim, 0, which extends down ward over the upper head or end of the spool, and forms a smooth surface on which the thread I) may rub in unwinding. At its center the cap E has an upwardly-projecting stem, 5 f, which is here shown as tubular, and. also has a plane upper surface, which affords a broad bearing to any object moving upon it. This plane surface is covered with leather, cloth, or other material, to offer frictional resistance to the movement of the flier.

F designates a dragflier, which is composed of wire bent spirally to form an eye or hub, (Z, and having an ontwardly-extendin g arm carrying a thread-eye, e, and having a broad bearing onthe upper friction-surface of the cap E. The spirally-wound eye or huh (I of the flier may fit and turn on the spindle itself, or on the tubular stem f, which has at its upper end a flange or annular lip, f, to hold the hub d of the flier thereon. The cap E should be heavy enough to prevent its turning by the friction of the drag-flier upon its leather-covered friction-surface.

The construction or form of the flier F is best shown in Fig. 3. The arm of the flier is composed of two portions, which diverge from the thread-eye e inward, and are bowed, so as to give the flier a broad bearing on the friction-cap on all sides of the center thereof. The narrowest part of the arm of the flier is at the eye e, and hence, if the thread, when slackened, kinks or loops itself on the flier, it cannot catch thereon, but will slip off as soon as unwinding is again commenced. The c011- verging of the wire portions of the flier toward the eye 6 insures the slipping off of the thread. The plane or fiat friction-surface on which the flier bears is very effective, and the flier will not be impeded in its movement by any dirt or refuse on the cap, but will sweep any obstruction off the cap.

I am aware that it is not new, broadly considered, to apply a head to the spool and to employ a flier the movement of which is resisted by frictional contact with such head, and I make no broad claim to such combination.

I am aware of Letters Patent No. 223,133, granted December 30, 1879, to G. Hall, J r., and do not desire to include in my invention anything therein shown. In said patent the spool has applied to it a head, in the upper surface of which is a circular groove or slideway, and the flier carries a segmental shoe or brake of leather, fitting in said groove or slideway.

I do not claim, broadly, as of my invention the combination, with a fixed spindle for a spool, of a friction cap or head to be applied to the spool, and a drag-flier pivoted concentrically thereto, a guide-eye above the spindle, and a standard for supporting said eye, as such a combination is shown in the aforesaid patent to Hall. In my attachment the support for the thread-guide eye is of such size that it is elastic or yielding in the ordinary operation of the attachment, and consequently permits the guide-eye to give downward and prevents breakage of the thread. Not only does the elastic support prevent the thread from breaking when it catches, but it produces a slight tremor or rapid vibration of In the example of my invention shown in Fig. 4. the spindle or arbor B is short and only extends a short distance above the support A.

' The friction-cap E is likethat before described,

and is provided with the sleeve or tube f and lip f. It is faced with leather, and the flier F turns upon said sleeve.

In the sleeve or tube f is fixed a short rod or stem, B, which is removable with the friction-cap E, and is to be inserted into the fixed spool 0 when the attachment is to be used. The cap E will thus be securely held against turning.

I am also aware that it is not new, broadly considered, to support a thread guide or eye by an elastic or yielding support, and hence do not make any claim to such subject-mat ter alone. When the elastic or yielding support is used with a rotary drag-flier, the slight tremor or vibration of the guide-eye due to the elastic or yielding support acts with slight and rapid but almost imperceptible jerks upon the thread, and so greatly facilitates the rotary movement of the flier. The elastic or yielding support for the thread-guide, when used with 'a rotary drag-flier, forms a new and useful combination, and it is this combination only that I desire to include in my invention. 7

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a fixed spindle to receive a spool, and a cap, E, adapted to be placed 011 the spool, and having a plane upper surface, and a covering, of leather, cloth, or other friction-producing material, of a drag flier having an eye or hub, whereby it is pivoted concentrically with the cap, and an eye through which the thread isto be'conducted, and having a bearing on the friction-producing material substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, with the cap E, having the upwardly-pro ecting stein f, the downthe eye 6 inward and bowed to give the flier ed and the rotation of the drag-flier is faeili- 10 a broad bearing on the'friotion-surface subtated by the tremor or vibration produced in stantially as herein described. the guide-eye by reason of its elastic or yield 4. The combination, with afixed spindle for in g support, substantially as herein described. a spool, of a friction-cap to be applied to the spool, and adrag-fiier pivoted concentrically thereto, a guide-eye above the spindle, and an elastic or yielding support for said eye, whereby the breaking of the thread is prevent- GHAS. E. WILKINSON.

W'itnesse s:

WALTER I. AMERMAN, LUoIUs A. BARBOUR. 

